Ohio Divorce Records

Divorce is rarely a happy occasion, but documentation of the event can provide interesting facts about members of your family tree. Divorce documents may also be necessary for someone who is remarrying or for other legal purposes. If you are in search of Ohio divorce records, there are a number of options to consider. The location of the documents will depend on where the divorce was finalized and how long ago the event took place.

Ohio became the 17th state in the United States in 1803, so it has a long and illustrious history as a part of this county. The records of those who have lived, married and died in Ohio date back centuries, providing a glimpse into the population that made Ohio the state that it is today. However, with a long history and extensive collection of records documenting that history, it can be challenging to find divorce records in Ohio for a specific event.

Location of Ohio Divorce Records

Most of the divorce records in Ohio are kept on file at the county court where the divorce was finalized. This can make finding specific documents difficult, if you are unsure of which county the divorce was processed. Fortunately, there are ways to obtain this information as well. The Office of Vital Statistics at the Ohio Department of Health provides a divorce index with information about Ohio divorce records dating from 1962 to present. Currently, there are more than 1.4 million files in this index.

The index was compiled through records of all 88 counties in Ohio. Some of the information also came from the Ohio Genealogical Society. The index offers a wide range of information on divorces that occurred in Ohio during this time, including the full name and age for both spouses, years they were married, how many dependent children they had at the time of the divorce and the date of the divorce. The county where the divorce was granted is also listed, making it much easier to request documents from the correct county.

Because the divorce index has a huge number of entries, it is important to provide as much information as possible when searching for a couple who was divorced in the state. The more you know about the husband, wife and circumstances of the divorce, the more likely you will find the correct documents on your first search. Once the correct information is located, you can contact the county court of common pleas to request copies of the documents in question.

Searching Online for Divorce Records in Ohio

There are many online options for finding divorce records in Ohio today. The Ohio Genealogical Society offers an online search within the divorce index for the state, which should provide the correct county court from which you can request documents. The Ohio Department of Health also provides an index of divorces that occurred in Ohio from 1954 to the present. Fees are typically assessed for copies of these documents, which will vary from county to county.

Divorce records in Ohio reveal interesting facts about those who lived in the state throughout its history. Fortunately, online tools make it much easier to locate and retrieve those documents today.